Give Your Time… and Your Heart
Needing court-ordered community service volunteer hours? Click here!
Volunteer Requirements
Minimum Age
Time Commitment
In order to ensure the safety and well-being of our volunteers and the animals we serve, we require the following monthly time commitments from volunteers:
At least four (4) hours for the Cat Program or non-animal related roles
At least six (6) hours for the Dog Walking Program
Preparing to Volunteer
Applicants accepted into the Volunteer Program are required to:
Purchase a New Volunteer Package ($30)
Complete a digital orientation
Attend an in-person orientation
Onboarding
In-person orientations are held on odd-numbered months:
January
March
May
July
September
November
How to Become a Volunteer
Complete the Volunteer Orientation
- Receive and review your volunteer handbook
- Learn about HSHC’s history and no-kill philosophy
- Discover the best ways to match your skills and interests with our needs
- Tour the facility and meet our adoptable pets
Volunteering by the Numbers
78,500 – Hours volunteered in 2024
952 – Volunteers serving HSHC
67 – Different volunteer opportunities at any given time

Volunteer Opportunities
Shelter volunteers fulfill so many critical needs for us such as:
- Facility Support (e.g. laundry, dishes, general housekeeping)
- Cattery Assistance
- Kennel Assistance
- Dog Walking
- Lobby Greeter
- Animal Transport
- Supporting the marketing team at special events
- Fundraising/Marketing Support (e.g. event planning, procurement of auction items)
- Building Maintenance & Lawn Care Projects
Lead Volunteer Program
Because we ask a lot of our Lead Volunteers, HSHC offers our leads some pretty cool perks:
- Leads are featured on our website as part of Our Team alongside our HSHC Management Team and receive a special Lead Volunteer name tag.
- Leads receive two complimentary tickets to our major annual fundraisers–Tinsel & Tails and Wine, Wags & Whiskers.
- Leads and their plus ones are invited to join us for our annual employee holiday party.
And last, but certainly not least…our leads receive many of the same great pet perks as our employees including:
- Annual vaccines and labs (e.g., bloodwork, fecal, urinalysis) at HSHC’s cost which is a fraction of the cost at most veterinary practices
- Order non-prescription medications at HSHC’s cost (preventatives, supplements)
- Order prescription foods (with a prescription from a veterinarian) at HSHC’s cost


Corporate Group Volunteer Opportunities
Student Volunteer Program
- Support Help at our facility doing tasks such as laundry, dishes, cleaning, working in our food storage room, and helping us maintain our grounds.
- Assisting the staff in various office tasks.
- Assisting at off-site events.


Court Ordered Community Service
Volunteer Spotlight

Trudy has logged more hours than any other volunteer in the history of HSHC. She began her volunteerism as a dog walker, but at the time, we didn’t have a formalized program. Trudy took the lead in developing the Dog Walking Program including the processes and procedures we still use to this day. The impact Trudy has had, and continues to have, on our organization is beyond measure.